Operator criteria

Verkkolaskufoorumi operator group 2021-04-14
NB! This document has been translated from Finnish document. If the translation or wording of this document
conflicts with the Finnish document, the content of the Finnish version shall prevail.

Responsibilities of the e-invoicing operator

  • The e-invoicing operator must be a member of the Verkkolaskufoorumi (Finnish e-invoicing forum).
  • The e-invoicing operator uses the interconnection network to forward e-invoices, provides a data conversion service and an invoice image, as well as the transmission of attachments. The new e-invoicing operator undertakes negotiations to establish interconnection traffic with other e-invoicing operators.
  • In the Finvoice service (Finnish banks and payment institutions), the materials are forwarded in accordance with the terms of the Finvoice service: https://file.finanssiala.fi/finvoice/Finvoice-valityspalvelun_kuvaus.pdf (available only in Finnish)

Data transmission and data receipts

  • It must be possible to transmit invoice data between e-invoicing operators on a 24/7 basis and in the banking network in accordance with the Finvoice distribution service conditions, except for pre-agreed service and maintenance outages
  • Invoice material must be forwarded to the receiving operator or invoice recipient within 24 hours of receiving the material
  • A positive or negative acknowledgment message must be sent within 24 hours of receipt of the invoice received
  • Updated schematron files received via the road must be enabled by the date specified in their publication
  • A negative acknowledgment can only be sent if
    • The invoice does not match the message description schema file
    • The invoice does not pass the up-to-date schematron validation of the message description jointly accepted by the e-invoicing operators
    • The recipient is not a customer of the receiving e-invoicing operator
    • The attachment referenced in the invoice message is missing or corrupt

Storage of files and acknowledgment messages

  • Invoice data must be kept for at least three (3) months
  • Invoice processing log files must be retained for at least six (6) months Support (HelpDesk)
  • Other operators must be provided with a free support service, which must be available at least on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (EET)
  • The support service must be available in at least English
  • A monitoring system must be in place from which the request for support can be traced for a period of six (6) months

Data content

  • Must be able to transmit material in accordance with TEAPPSXML and / or Finvoice message descriptions
  • Must be able to transmit and process material in accordance with the European Standard on e-invoicing (EN16931)
  • Support for the transmission of attachments in at least PDF format, excluding the Finvoice service Proxies and connections to other operators
  • Secure communication must be possible, with at least SFTP or HTTPS as a protocol
  • Fault-tolerant data processing systems and telecommunication connections that enable the conversion and transmission of data on a 24/7 basis
  • Possibility to forward and receive materials with the banks’ Finvoice service
  • Supervised data transfer from invoice issuer to e-invoicing operator and between e-invoicing operators
  • Data processing servers and delivery systems are monitored 24/7

Verkkolaskuosoitteisto (e-invoicing address registry)

  • Maintenance of the e-invoice operator’s instructions, operator information and other information in the Verkkolaskuosoitteisto (e-invoicing address registry), depending on how the maintaining has been agreed in the Verkkolaskufoorumi (Finnish e-invoicing forum)
  • Maintaining customers’ up-to-date e-invoice addresses or identification information in the e-invoice address book in accordance with the instructions
  • Commitment to the current e-invoicing address registry policy defined by the Verkkolaskufoorumi (Finnish e-invoicing forum)

 

Other Criteria

  • Identification of customers using the e-invoicing service and verification of their identity when sending the invoice, in order to ensure that the sender of the invoice is the one who declares that he is.
  • Agreements used to send e-invoices must be based on Finnish law and any disputes must be resolved in a Finnish court
  • The language of the working groups of the network is Finnish

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